Saturday, December 20, 2014

The second book in the Year of Moons trilogy (and 11th book set in Valladora) is out now! For reading order, click here.

Ian
opposes the death penalty and hopes to convince the king to show mercy
to one of his subjects. Ian’s desire to free the man in his dungeon only
grows when he discovers that the feisty, sharp-tongued leopard shifter
is his mate. Kamon’s
life is already complicated enough when Ian steps into it. Kamon’s
always relied on no one but himself, yet now he begins to envision a
very different future. He’s trying to keep Ian at arm’s length, but that
grows harder every day as the vampire works relentlessly to change the
mind of a king who’s never before granted any subject a pardon.

Excerpt:Kamon
sat in his cell, still full of rage. He’d often told himself Kara would
be the death of him, but he’d never imagined it would be so literal. He
ached to shift, but he didn’t want to invite more trouble, as he’d been
too distracted to tell anyone he was a shifter. The guards would likely
stab first and ask questions later if they found a golden leopard
pacing around in his cell. He had enough to worry about already. His
twin’s selfishness had finally landed him in the kind of trouble he
wouldn’t be able to get out of.The
outer door opened, and a vampire entered, closing the door behind him
after saying something to the guards. When the vampire turned, Kamon
recognized Lord Ian. The man looked completely out of place in his
billowing mint green robes, his shining blond hair flowing down his back
and the silver rings on his fingers glinting in the torchlight. Kamon
had never imagined a vampire lord would lower himself in this way. He’d
heard that Ian was kind and generous, but Kamon didn’t care for vampires
or the fact that they ruled over humans simply because they had such
long lives.The
vampire approached, but Kamon didn’t say anything. He’d already
confessed, so he didn’t see the point in submitting to more
interrogation.“Kamon, I’m Lord Ian. And I’ve come to help you.”Help me? Kamon averted his eyes and pressed his lips together.“Are you all right?”Kamon glanced up and shrugged.Ian came closer. “Do you need water? Food? Have you been mistreated?”Kamon
stood and walked over to the man, the stretching of his muscles feeling
good despite the stiffness his desire to shift was causing. “No, I
haven’t been mistreated. I’m here because I did something wrong. What do
you want?”Ian studied Kamon. “You’re obviously not afraid of being punished, talking to me this way.”“I’m
going to die. What’s the point in caring about anything?” Kamon pushed
away from the bars of the cell. Something about the vampire’s scent made
him want to shift even more. The vampire was attractive, and Kamon
didn’t mind a man in his bed, but Ian was a little too pretty for
Kamon’s taste. He preferred brawn to beauty.Ian
shifted his weight and crossed his arms. “Look, I’m going to forget
your rudeness and get to the point. I hate executions and think the
death penalty unjust. I want to help you, maybe save you. Domestic
disputes are always complex. I’d like to be your advocate and plead with
King Jareth, but I’ll need your help.”“Not
interested,” Kamon said, wanting Ian to go away. His scent was starting
to drive Kamon wild. He wanted to shift, and more than that, he wanted
to fuck. He turned to face the wall in an attempt to end the
conversation.“Not interested? Without an advocate, you’ll die!”“I
killed someone. That’s the law.” If this vampire pried too much, Kara
might be executed instead. Many might call him a fool, but he’d never be
able to live with that. His vain sister had always been thoughtless and
selfish, but no one deserved to die for those things. She had an unborn
child to think of.“Why are you trembling?” Ian asked.Kamon looked down at his hands and realized he was shaking. He folded his arms and tried to stop the tremors. “I’m fine.”“You’ve got to be kidding.” Ian sighed, and Kamon heard the jangle of keys.Kamon turned to see the vampire opening the cell and entering it. “No. Leave me alone.”Ian took hold of Kamon’s shoulders. “I won’t hurt you. Or bite you. Tell me what’s wrong. Are you ill?”Ian’s
scent overwhelmed Kamon, and before he knew what he was doing, Kamon
had leaned forward to breathe in more of it. He shivered, his eyes half
closing, and Ian leaned away and stared at him.“Did you … just … smell me?” Ian asked, his face crinkled in confusion.Kamon
once more pressed his lips together, something his mother had always
done when agitated. He’d never been able to kick the habit. He wanted to
do more than smell this man—he wanted to lick him. He tried to say
something, but his brain buzzed with carnal thoughts, his body
responding to the strong hands on his shoulders.Ian
studied Kamon’s face, then his eyes, which Kamon guessed had turned
from green to yellow. “You’re a shifter,” Ian said, releasing him. “And
you must find me attractive.”Kamon opened his eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself.”“Don’t get defensive. What’s your problem?” Ian asked.Kamon
needed to shift. Now. If he didn’t, he would jump the vampire before
long. “I don’t have to answer your questions. Have me punished however
you damn well want. Just get out!”“You
need to shift. Do it. I don’t care. I’ll turn my back if you want.” He
did so. “When you shift back, you’ll be calmer. Then we can talk.”“Are
you some bleeding heart or what? Why do you give a shit what happens to
me?” Kamon asked, his heart pumping and blood roaring in his ears. “I
don’t want you here!”Ian
turned back to him and frowned. “Why are you acting this way?” he asked
softly. Stepping forward, he asked in a more taunting voice, “Do I
smell that good?”Kamon
turned away, but Ian stopped him and pushed him against the wall. His
eyes lowered, and he saw that Kamon’s cock was hard and ready. Kamon met
his gaze defiantly when Ian lifted his eyes. He wanted to push the man
down and mount him right then, and if Ian insisted on seeing his desire,
Kamon wasn’t going to be ashamed.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

My latest book set in Valladora is here! For reading order of the series, click here for just the titles or here for full blurbs with covers.Stryker
has been looking forward to finding his fated mate for decades, but
from the start, nothing goes as he’d dreamed. His mate refuses to even
meet him, denying the mate bond without giving him a chance and actually
running away to avoid hearing the vampire’s pleas.

Joseph
sees humans who throw themselves at vampires as weak and stupid, and he
has no intention of giving up his free will simply because a vampire
orders him to. His heart has been through enough without being forced to
pretend he loves someone, so he flees. He wants true love and sees no
logic in trusting fate to simply drop the real thing right into his
lap.

But
Stryker refuses to give up and pursues his mate, prepared to do
anything to make Joseph see what he’s really running away from.

Lord Stryker
stopped pacing the tiles when he heard his brother sigh. “Sorry,” he said,
turning to Ian. “I assumed he’d already be here after I returned from the
king’s court. I should’ve made my apologies to the king and gone to find him
myself.”

“I didn’t expect
you to return so soon. However did you get away from the king? Even simple
matters tend to keep you there a week, typically,” Ian said.

Stryker smirked
and licked his lips. Running his hands through his short blond hair to get it
off his forehead, he said, “I stayed out of his bed this time. I told him I’d
found my mate.”

“Was he
disappointed?” Ian asked, his tone bland. Ian had always thought Stryker both
too promiscuous and too open about said promiscuity. He never came out and said
it, but Stryker knew his brother disapproved.

“He and the queen
both, though they found younger and more willing diversions easily.” Stryker
began to pace again. “I’ll be faithful to my mate. I promise you that.”

Ian shifted, his
expression softening. “I frown on certain behaviors out of concern. I’ve no
doubt you’ll be faithful once you’re with your mate. My concern for you and
Braden has always come from the desire not to see either of you hurt.”

Stryker halted.
“You’ve never put it that way before.”

Ian frowned. “You’ve
never asked, simply made fun of me for being a prude. Which I am not, by the
way.”

Stryker started to
protest but stopped himself. Ian was less comfortable with his sexuality than
anyone else Stryker had ever known, but with luck, one day Ian’s fated mate
would change that. Rubbing his lower lip, Stryker asked, “You’re sure you’ve
never met him?”

“No, I don’t
recall ever meeting Joseph. Do you know every single person in your dominion?” Ian asked as he crossed his arms. “You
travel so much you’re hardly ever there. Joseph has brown hair and blue eyes.
He’s said to be handsome.”

“Of course he’ll
be handsome!”

Ian laughed. “Of
course. What was I thinking?” Sobering, he asked, “Did you expect a male mate?
Seems to be happening a lot lately.”

Stryker had noticed
that as well, though he laughed at those who theorized about what the gods had
planned. “I wasn’t sure what to expect. How old is he?”

“Twenty-six.” Ian
rose and moved toward the door. “If you’re so anxious, why not go to the
village and ask about him? I have other matters to attend to.”

“I’ll find
something to keep me out of your hair.”

Ian smiled. “I
promise you’ll be told the moment he arrives.” He exited and left Stryker
alone.

Stryker pushed
open the doors leading to the balcony and gazed down at the village. His mate
had been down there for twenty-six years, yet he hadn’t discovered that until
the man had decided to leave. Stryker closed his eyes as he remembered how it
had felt when that first drop of blood had hit his tongue. He couldn’t wait to
meet his mate and taste every inch of him.

Sunday, September 7, 2014

I've just released a revised version of one of my old short stories. I finally got to fix a couple of the things that bugged me when it was first released. It's only $0.99, and if you subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, you can read it for FREE.

Katie O'Brien came to the Bluebird Inn hoping for a long, relaxing
vacation. But then she meets Jack. The handsome pirate ghost has spent
four hundred years regretting the selfish actions that caused the death
of his lover, but he never thought he'd be able to end his curse by
finding true love again. Yet when Katie walks into the Bluebird Inn,
looking as though she just stepped down from the portrait of his lost
love, he starts to hope. Their sexual chemistry is undeniable, and Jack
hopes he can convince Katie to give them both the chance to find
something even greater—the true love that could save them both.

When Eva was thirteen, she passed through the veil and
became trapped in the goblin realm. She wanted nothing more than to go home,
but fate had other plans for her…

Lorne has loved Eva ever since the first moment he saw her,
but admitting his feelings to anyone else has never been an option. As the
prince’s companion, and the future lover of both Davin and his chosen queen,
Lorne can’t choose whom to love. His heart belongs to Davin, and only his
prince can tell him who else may share in that love.

But Lorne will soon find that his prince knows him better
than he knows himself, and their only challenge will be winning the heart, and
the hand, of the girl who has only seen them as friends for so many years…

Excerpt:

Lorne hardly
noticed the people and things they passed as they moved. He didn’t really come
back to himself until they were in Davin’s room, tearing at each other’s
clothes. Davin pulled his boots off and threw them down before pushing Lorne’s
doublet off his shoulders. Lorne became even more enflamed when Davin ripped
his shirt in half in his eagerness, kissing Lorne’s chest and then pausing when
he saw what he’d done. Lorne shrugged it off, loving the hint of embarrassment
he saw in his prince’s eyes.

“Don’t look like
that,” Lorne said, as he drew Davin’s shirt over his head. He caressed the
planes of Davin’s chest and stomach as he knelt and unlaced his breeches. “I’ve
wanted you for years. I’ve dreamed of this moment since our first kiss.” He
freed Davin’s cock and suckled the head, the taste of the pre-cum making him
sigh.

“Mmmm. Should have
demanded this sooner,” Davin said as he tried to force his breeches down.

Lorne tugged them
down and helped Davin step out of them as he licked and teased his cock.
“You’re worth waiting for. The desire had to be yours.”

Davin fell back on
the bed and drew Lorne to him. “Naked. Now.”

Lorne nodded, as
if he was acknowledging a royal command, and Davin groaned. Lorne chuckled as
he stood and yanked his boots off. He broke a lace as he became impatient with
his breeches. Davin lay on the bed with his legs spread, his hand fondling his
cock and balls. One finger kept straying to his hole. Lorne licked his lips as
he kicked the troublesome garment away. His tongue had filled that sweet
passage many times, and now his cock would finally feel that same sweetness.

Davin drew up and
took Lorne by the hips, sucking his cock deep right away and making Lorne gasp.
Davin’s tongue teased him, and Lorne held his head to fuck his mouth briefly.
The soft moans of pleasure from Davin drove him wild, and he knew he had to
hold back for now. As he pulled back, Davin’s mouth still pursued him, licking
and trying to recapture him.

“You’ll have to
teach me. I want to please her,” Davin said, running his hands into Lorne’s
hair and nipping at his neck.

“We’ll learn and
explore together.” Lorne caressed Davin and then worked down his body slowly,
letting his mouth linger on his prince’s most sensitive spots. “As we learned
with each other. Instinct.” He gazed up at Davin. “Every touch has been perfect.
We wanted each other, and no one had to tell us what to do.”

Davin smiled, a
soft, sensual laugh escaping his lips. “But I loved it when you told me what to do.”

Lorne smiled back.
“Spread yourself for me,” he whispered.

Davin obeyed,
lifting his legs to his chest. Lorne toyed with him at first, mouthing his
balls and lightly licking his cock, which now wept with need. He massaged
Davin’s hole with one finger, but he did not penetrate. Soon Davin wiggled
impatiently, and Lorne slapped one cheek to still him. Davin sighed and buried
his head against a pillow as Lorne rose and took up a tin of salve. The scent
of roses filled the room as he slicked one finger and further teased his
prince. He worked into Davin slowly. Watching Davin’s changing expressions made
him ache, but he didn’t want to take Davin until that same ache filled him. It
took him ten minutes to prepare Davin, and he could see his love ready to
explode. Lorne had stretched Davin thoroughly, and he now had three fingers in
the prince’s ass. He withdrew and inserted just one, thrumming against Davin’s
gland, the one that gave so much pleasure.

Friday, July 11, 2014

His Defiant Leopard is here! This story is the third and final book in the Year of Eyes trilogy and the ninth book set in Valladora. For reading order, click here.

Blurb: Thanos
enjoys his quiet and solitary life, but when he finds two lost leopard
shifter cubs, he starts to see that he’s been missing out on life by
keeping to himself. Before he has a chance to try to help them, their
older brother practically storms the castle, accusing Thanos of holding
the cubs against their will. From the moment he scents Declan’s blood,
Thanos knows the fates brought the cubs to him for a reason.

Declan
is furious when he discovers that a vampire has taken his brothers, but
Thanos is not what he expected at all. He knows he can’t trust anyone,
yet he wants to believe the handsome vampire who immediately offers him
and his brothers a safe and luxurious life. But Declan and his brothers
have a secret, and once the vampire finds out, Declan knows the
happiness being dangled before him could be lost forever.

Declan sat on the
long couch Thanos gestured to. The captain and his lieutenant had been most
helpful, and they had mobilized immediately. Declan had heard Thanos giving
express orders to make finding the men a priority. Something wasn’t right, and
that scared Declan. Why would the vampire care so much about robbers? Yes, they
had hurt Declan physically, but no one had been killed and no property actually
destroyed or stolen. They might have had evil intent regarding the cubs, but
nothing could be proven. Even though vampires could deal out justice however
they liked, Thanos’s actions seemed too extreme.

Thanos went to a
table and opened a small wooden box. Declan tensed when he saw Thanos pull out
a knife, and he jumped to his feet as Thanos cut his own wrist.

“My lord, what are
you doing?” Declan asked, inching forward to see better yet wanting to back
away.

Thanos let some of
the blood dribble into a small silver bowl and then he licked the wound. “If
you drink this, your arm will heal. Unwrap it and let me look to see it is set
properly. I don’t want it to heal in a way that could harm you.”

“I would prefer
not to imbibe, if it’s all the same to you.”

Thanos set the
bowl aside and grabbed Declan’s arm, cutting the bandage off with one swipe of
the knife. Declan tried to free himself, but between the broken limb and
Thanos’s strength, he could not.

“What have I done
to deserve this treatment?” Declan asked.

Thanos examined
his arm and didn’t answer. He took the bowl and held it to Declan’s lips.

“No.” Declan
turned his head away.

Thanos sighed and
set the bowl down. Still not saying a word, Thanos wrapped his other arm around
Declan’s waist and pulled him close. His irises had turned red, indicating his
need for blood. His fangs sank deep into Declan’s neck before Declan could
protest. Desire surged through his body, but he fought it. Thanos drank deep,
moaning and pressing their bodies together. Declan felt the vampire’s arousal,
as well as his own. He’d heard stories, but he’d never imagined a vampire’s bite
would truly feel so good. Thanos sealed the wounds with several long licks of
his tongue, much to Declan’s relief. Another a few moments, and Declan would
probably have climaxed and embarrassed himself.

“Now, drink,”
Thanos said, bringing the bowl back to Declan’s lips.

Declan had to
obey, as the vampire now had power over him. To his amazement, the blood tasted
good, almost like honey, and heightened his arousal. His arm tingled, and he
knew Thanos’s blood was healing him. The pleasure and shock had so overwhelmed
him he hadn’t realized Thanos had bitten him in order to gain the power to
command him. The vampire’s eyes had transitioned to black now, and Declan knew
that meant Thanos wanted to penetrate him in a completely different way. He
could still feel heat where Thanos’s tongue had swiped over his flesh, and part
of him wanted to give in to the vampire’s desire.

“That was wrong of
you, my lord,” Declan said, keeping his voice low to hide his need. “You take
an unfair advantage to get your way.”

“I know you can’t
feel exactly what I feel,” Thanos said, setting the bowl aside and making
Declan look at him. “You’re stubborn and would not accept my help, so I forced
you to accept it. I’m sorry. As penance, I’ll give you relief but ask nothing
in return.”

“Relief?” Declan
gasped and jerked away when he realized what the vampire meant.

Wednesday, June 11, 2014

My latest release, and my first MF romance in over a year, is now here!

Victoria returns to England to bury her adoptive brother and
take care of her now orphaned godson, Cyngen. She’d always been curious about
the mysterious Darien, Cyngen’s other godparent, but her intense reaction to
his presence complicates matters as the three of them begin a new life
together. His behavior confuses her on a daily basis, but she has no desire to
fight the pull she feels.

Darien can’t stop thinking about Victoria, not only because
she’s grown into a fascinating woman but also because he has a duty to protect
her and their godson. He cannot warn her of the danger she is in, as he’d have
to reveal the secret of his true nature—and Cyngen’s. He’s content only to be
near her every day, until his hand is forced and the truth comes out. Even if he
can save her, he still might lose her forever if she cannot accept him for what
he truly is…

Victoria Shelley
sat beside her godson Cyngen as the men lowered his parents into the ground.
She could feel everyone staring at them. The funeral of Jerome and Elizabeth
Ravenwood was well attended because so many people wanted to get a look at
Cyngen, the reclusive young heir to an impressive estate and a massive
fortune.The crowd was also
curious about her, the seldom seen adopted sister of Jerome who had gone to
America to work as a tutor for friends of the Ravenwood family in New York. She
grew wearier with each passing day of the whispering and curious looks.

She felt herself
on the verge of tears as Jerome’s coffin sank into the ground. She had loved
him as a true brother because he had opened his heart to her as if blood
actually bound them together. A hand settled on her skin where her shoulder and
neck met. She felt the comforting warmth of Darien as he stood behind her. Out
of the corner of her eye, she could see his hand resting in the same place on
Cyngen’s neck. She reached over and grasped the ten-year-old boy’s hand. She
watched him tilt his head so that his cheek touched Darien’s hand for a moment.
The sad yet loving gesture momentarily made it harder for her to hold her tears
back. Then Cyngen straightened, taking a deep breath as he placed his other
hand over hers. Soon he drew both of his hands away to clench them tightly in
his lap. She knew he wanted to go home. He didn’t like crowds, and he hated the
way people stared at him.

Cyngen was tall
for his age but slight of build, his skin pale and his hair jet-black. He kept
his hair longer than was fashionable for a boy of his rank and age and always
wore it loose so it fell down his back and over his forehead because of his
eyes and his birthmark. Cyngen possessed very strange, mismatched eyes. One had
a bright green iris, so bright it seemed to glow and often startled people, and
the other was completely blood red, except for the pupil. His vision was
perfect, and no doctor could offer an explanation for this oddity. When people
stared at him, he stared right back with a quite menacing gaze until they
stopped. He was a sweet boy, but he was so defensive around strangers no one
but those closest to him knew how kind he in truth was. The birthmark on the
back of his neck, at least, was easier to hide. Five lines, which resembled
scratches, ran diagonally from his hairline down to the nape of his neck. The
marks had been bright red when he was born and had faded to a deep crimson by
the time he was one month old.

Darien’s thumb ran
over her skin briefly before he drew his hand away. She glanced back at him,
but he was looking straight ahead. He appeared calm and collected, as if he
hadn’t just touched her very intimately. Darien fascinated her, but she did not
want him or anyone else to know it. He was Cyngen’s godfather, a childhood
friend of Elizabeth’s. He had arrived on the estate within an hour of Jerome’s
and Elizabeth’s mangled bodies being found at the edge of the woods by the
servants. Victoria had not seen him for more than a few passing moments since
the day they had stood side by side in the church when Cyngen was christened.
However, Cyngen had told her a great deal about him in his letters. Though his
work—whatever it was, she did not know—kept him away for months on end and made
his schedule so unpredictable he could almost never attend family functions,
he’d visited Cyngen half a dozen times a year for the past decade, and the
young boy adored him. Since her arrival, she had observed Darien and Cyngen
with a great deal of curiosity. Darien behaved more like a manservant than a
godfather, constantly shadowing the boy as though he were afraid something
might happen to him or he might need something. He helped him dress and brought
him his meals when he didn’t feel like coming down to eat in the dining room,
and he behaved like a guard dog, if a polite one, toward almost everyone who
tried to get near Cyngen.

When Darien turned
his eyes to hers and leaned down, she realized she had been sitting there
staring up at him. She wondered how many other people had noticed, but it was
too late to do anything about it now.

“Do you require
anything, Miss Shelley?” he asked with concern. His sensual voice sent a shiver
all the way down her body, especially as his tone made her feel as if we would
move heaven and earth to grant her request.

Her face flamed as
she imagined what the crowd around them might be whispering. She and Cyngen
were seated alone near the graves in full view of everyone, and she dared not
turn her head to see how many people were looking at them.

She dabbed at her
eyes with her handkerchief. “I am fine, thank you, Darien.”

A moment later,
the three of them were beckoned forward by one of the deacons to say a final
farewell. Cyngen threw of mix of red, white, and pink roses from the estate’s
hothouse onto his mother’s coffin. Victoria sprinkled a bit of dirt from the
estate onto Jerome’s coffin, a family tradition he had insisted upon in his
will. Darien held nothing in his hands. He stood silently contemplating the
graves before bowing and then walking over to stand beside Cyngen. That action
puzzled her, but somehow it comforted her. Just like everything else about him.

“We can leave
now,” he said as he touched Cyngen’s shoulder, seemingly to stop him from
taking his seat again. “Two weeks of condolences and idle chatter have been
more than enough, and the police investigation has been taxing for everyone.
The rector will offer final words and explain that we wish to be left alone for
the next month.” He turned Cyngen toward the carriages and offered his arm to
Victoria.

She did not speak
until they were almost to the road. “Are you sure it’s acceptable, Darien?” The
etiquette expected of members of the Ravenwood family had been the hardest
thing to grow accustomed to when she went to live with them. Even after nearly
twenty years, she still worried she would do something wrong. It had been one
reason she had decided to go to America in the first place.

He turned his
silver eyes toward her and nodded simply. The sun gleamed off his dark hair.
“Yes. Cyngen wants to be left alone.”

That wasn’t really
a proper answer to her question, but she turned to look ahead again. The
footman opened the carriage door for Cyngen, who climbed inside quickly. Darien
handed her in, then boarded and sat across from her beside Cyngen.

“Would you like to
explore the attic with us, Victoria?” Cyngen asked when the carriage began to
move.

“That sounds like
a welcome distraction,” she said. “Are you going to do it this afternoon?”

“Yes. Darien said
we could after lunch. I’ve heard noises, and we’re going to investigate.”

“Noises?” She had
heard many odd noises at night, but she had convinced herself it was either the
servants or the house settling.

Darien cleared his
throat and pushed a strand of his dark hair off his forehead. “I suspect a few
birds have gotten in and become trapped. We’re going to see what we can find.
There are lots of old trunks and boxes of books and clothes. Even if we don’t
find the source of the noises, it should be enjoyable.” He put his arm around
Cyngen, who turned shimmering eyes to the window.

She’d willingly
attempt to climb a mountain this afternoon if it would keep Cyngen from being
sad and lonely. “I would love to. I haven’t been up there since I just a little
older than you are.”

Cyngen blinked
several times, the tears seeming to abate. “You were ten when you came to the
estate, weren’t you?”

“Yes, I was.
That’s when my parents died. Your grandfather was my father’s employer. Your
father had just turned fifteen, and he was so upset when he found out I had no
family that he begged his parents to let me live with them. It was very kind of
them to take me in. I wish you could have known your grandparents.”

Cyngen took a deep
breath and turned away from the window to look at her. “The will said only one
of you is required to remain with me, but I want you to stay with us, Victoria.
I’m sure America is exciting, but we can travel anywhere you like. You can have
anything you want if you stay with us.” His voice cracked, his tone sounding desperate
and pleading.

She scolded
herself for not discussing her plans with him and Darien earlier. She’d written
to the lawyer immediately, before even making her travel plans, and she’d
assumed he would have made her plans known. She leaned forward and took both of
Cyngen’s small hands in hers. “Oh, Cyngen, of course I will stay. I’m sorry I
didn’t make that clear. I thought you knew I planned to remain here.”

Cyngen looked
ready to cry again, though perhaps this time from relief, and Darien stepped
in.

“We didn’t want to
presume, Miss Shelley,” he said. “You have a job and a life in New York.”

“I told everyone I
would not be returning less than an hour after I received the telegram. The
children were indifferent, and their parents just nodded and asked how soon I
would be leaving. I was little more than a servant to them. They only paid me
so well because your father insisted. The youngest is nine now, so I might have
been returning here anyway. I missed everyone, even though my three years in
America were a wonderful experience. It was interesting to teach in another
country. I learned so much. But I am glad to be back here with you.”

“You can be my
tutor now, can’t you? I often heard mother and father’s friends ask when you
were coming back. Many of them wanted to engage you, but I want you to tutor
me. And Darien can teach me to play the violin. I want to learn.”

She inclined her
head to look at him. “I didn’t know that you played, Darien.”

He nodded once. “I
do. Cyngen enjoys my playing, at least.”

“Yes, Cyngen, I
can be your tutor for the next few years. I mostly teach girls and younger
children though, so in a few years we’ll need to engage someone new to prepare
you for university.” She turned to Darien. “Is there a tutor now? I haven’t met
one at the house.”

“Jerome had been
his tutor for the past year. The last tutor was … a very unsuitable example for
Cyngen.”

“He was a thief,”
Cyngen said, “and he upset Gwendolyn.”

Victoria’s eyes
flicked to Darien’s briefly, and he nodded slightly. Gwendolyn was one of the
kitchen maids, and Victoria had noticed that she had a child but no husband. “I
see. Well, I’m not as clever as your father was, but very few people are.” She
released his hands and sat back. “We shall have lots of fun together.”

Cyngen nodded, his
mouth almost curling into a smile as he looked between the two of them. “We can
still be a family.”

She nodded her
agreement toward Cyngen, unable to stop the blush Darien’s penetrating gaze had
caused. She felt as if he could see right into her heart, and part of her
wondered if, given the look in his eyes, perhaps he actually could.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

His Wild Wolf (Year of Eyes 2) has just been released! This story is the eighth book set in Valladora, and the second in the Year of Eyes trilogy. Each trilogy features a set of brothers finding their mates. How do they do this? Well, every vampire has one fated mate--just one taste of that person's blood is all it takes. If you're new to the series and want to check out the other books, the reading order is at the bottom of the post.

Ladon
lost his protégé, but he has a mission to take his mind off the
loneliness. When he arrives at the lycan settlement, however, he meets a
handsome young man who reminds him with every glance exactly how lonely
he’s been for many years. The problem is, the man he’s so entranced by
seems to hate him.

Kai
has been curious about Lord Ladon all this life. He and the vampire are
linked in a way he is reluctant to divulge, but soon Ladon demands an
explanation for Kai’s scowls and long glances. When they discover
they’re mates, Kai is certain it’s a mistake. His mind says they could
never work, but can his body and heart convince him to submit and let
the fates give him the happiness that has always been out of his reach?

Kai moaned as he
slammed back against Ladon. The vampire’s cock had him stretched wide, but he
pushed past the pain to the all-consuming bliss beyond it. He clawed at the
sheets and moved faster, making Ladon give him more. The pain made every
sensation sharper, and the torture soon became exquisite. Ladon didn’t look
down on him for wanting this. The vampire seemed to love it, and he took hold
of Kai’s hips and gave him more of what he craved. Ladon rammed into him,
panting and making noises that told Kai how much he was enjoying this.

With everything
within him, Kai wanted Ladon’s bite. He wanted to feel those fangs pierce him
and experience that connection. He wanted the one who represented all the pain
of his past to take that agony away, to erase it and replace it with pleasure.
Why did Ladon have to be so beautiful? So virile and desirable and utterly
perfect? Perhaps Kai wouldn’t have reacted this way if he hadn’t been denying
his desires all these years. He moaned, his mind screaming that Ladon would have
affected him this way no matter what. Kai didn’t want to feel like this, wanted
to still hate Ladon, but his emotions, not to mention his body, refused to be
denied. Even if he could only be happy for a short time, didn’t he deserve it?

Ladon pulled out
and flipped Kai onto his back, entering him again swiftly and capturing his
mouth in a heated kiss. Kai relented, wrapping his arms around Ladon for the
first time. It didn’t surprise him at all how good it felt to hold the man,
which was why he’d hesitated earlier.

Kai came close to
screaming “yes”, but he made himself nod. Part of him feared such a
confirmation of how much he needed Ladon.

Ladon snapped his
hips repeatedly, and Kai tightened his grip. His breathing became labored as he
neared release, and Ladon chose that moment to bite him. Kai nearly blacked out
from the pleasure. The moment Ladon’s fangs pierced him, Kai came hard, his cum
spraying between them. He felt Ladon jerk within him and fill him with his
seed. But that was only the beginning of the pleasure. Every inch of his body
felt electric. Euphoria swallowed him as Ladon drank. When Ladon stopped and
sealed the wound, Ladon shook as if barely able to control his own body, his
eyes wild as he looked down at Kai.

“Oh, of course. I
should have seen it.”

Kai didn’t have
the strength or the will to ask him what he meant. He let himself get lost in
Ladon’s hungry kisses, and he moaned at the delicious ache in his body. Ladon’s
cock remained hard, firmly lodged within him. As their kisses slowed and grew
gentler, Ladon began fucking him again.

Kai almost
laughed, his body singing with sensation. “You have to ask?” He could only
imagine how sore he would be tomorrow, but he already knew he would roll over
and submit again with a single look from Ladon. He closed his eyes to savor the
heightened sensations. Ladon had fucked him roughly, and already his body
protested a little, yet it also wanted more. He opened his eyes so he could
imprint this moment in his mind. No one so beautiful would ever look at him
this way again. Even if he was not meant for a happy life, right here and now
happiness was his for the taking, however fleeting it might be.

“I am very pleased
with you.” Ladon licked and kissed the spot where he had taken blood.
“Surprised, but oh so pleased.”

Surprised? Kai
didn’t understand, but he saw no reason he had to. Ladon’s slower lovemaking
and the friction it caused within his sensitive channel had him hard again, and
he reached down to stroke his semen-covered cock. Ladon stopped him and took
hold of Kai’s cock himself. He lifted Kai’s hips and quickened his pace as he
jerked Kai’s cock. At this rate, this one encounter would be enough to tide him
over for a lifetime.

Kai let go and
gave in to the pleasure, his cum spilling over Ladon’s hand. Ladon licked some
of it away, and then Kai felt him come again as well. His skin tingled and
almost burned, and pleasure throbbed in his ass and groin. He felt so
blissfully sated as Ladon descended on him. The vampire’s kisses varied this
time, frenzied ones following soft ones, over and over again. Kai smiled at how
wanted it made him feel.

Ladon smiled down
at him and touched his cheek, tracing one finger up over his brow and down the
other cheek. “You will not leave me. Sleep here tonight. Every night.”

Kai let Ladon pull
him closer, wondering how many nights there would be until Ladon left. “What
choice do I have, since you drank from me?” he asked in a jovial tone, trying
not to assign too much deeper meaning to the request.

Ladon looked at
him quizzically. “As little choice as I now have.” He kissed Kai’s temple and
rose to extinguish the candles and the lantern.

“Well, you can
command me tonight,” Kai said as he admired Ladon, “but I might not let you
drink tomorrow, you know.” He knew it was a lie, but he felt the need to grasp
at the control he’d given up in letting Ladon drink.

Ladon gazed down
at Kai, his expression still a bit odd. “I see your cockiness has returned now
that you’re sated.”

“You’re the one
responsible for that, of course, so stop complaining.” Kai rolled over to get
comfortable and end the conversation. Though he couldn’t tell what Ladon was
thinking, he couldn’t help but notice that the vampire seemed good at reading
him. He didn’t know how he felt about exposing more of his feelings right now.

Ladon drew him
into a spooning position, and after a brief hesitation Kai allowed it. He’d
known so little affection in recent years it seemed foolish to shun Ladon’s
tenderness.

“Good night, my
lord,” Kai said softly.

“Good night, my
little wolf,” Ladon said into Kai’s ear.

Kai turned his
head slightly, wondering at the possessive declaration and how Ladon had
emphasized the words. But he let it go, not wanting to spoil the afterglow.
Sleeping in the other man’s arms felt good, so good that Kai knew he’d grow
used to it far too soon. Belonging to someone might not be so bad, he thought
as he drifted off to sleep far quicker than he had in years.

1) Tasting Cherry Blossoms (The Year of Hearts, 1) 2) Saving His Mate (The Year of Hearts, 2)3) Needing His Demon (The Year of Hearts, 3)

4) The Wolf's Mate (The Year of Stars, 1)5) The Dragon's Lover (The Year of Stars, 2) 6) The Vampire's Kiss (The Year of Stars, 3)

7) His Reluctant Tiger (The Year of Eyes, 1)8) His Wild Wolf (The Year of Eyes, 2) -Newest Release!9) His Defiant Leopard (The Year of Eyes, 3) - WIP

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

His Reluctant Tiger is here! This trilogy has lots of shifters. This is the first book in The Year of Eyes, which is the third trilogy set in Valladora (see my Booklist page if you are completely new to the series).

If you read The Vampire's Kiss, you already know a little bit about our two heroes, Shigure and Kyros. This book is set almost a year later.

Blurb:Shigure
finally has a home and friends who love him, and even a brother he’s
slowly building a relationship with after years of estrangement. He
thinks his life is settling down, and then he discovers he’s a vampire’s
mate. His focus changes completely when he offers his mentor’s brother,
Kyros, his blood and feels their connection. Loving others has always
ended badly for Shigure, so he’s afraid to believe the fates are truly
blessing him with so many good things all at once.

Kyros
wants to curse himself for not seeing that his mate was right under his
nose for almost a year. But now that he’s found him, he’s going to do
everything he can to show the timid and reluctant young man how
beautiful every aspect of love can be. Just as Shigure starts to open up
emotionally and yield physically, a summons from the king separates
them. Now they have to trust that the gods didn’t give them a brief
glimpse of happiness only to separate them forever.

Kyros felt bad
that Shigure had worried, but he knew Ladon hadn’t meant to cause Shigure
anxiety. “I think Ladon just wanted to be sure you were safe and focus on what
we were doing. He probably didn’t think how you would worry.”

Shigure ran his
hands through his thick brown hair, ruffling it as he laughed. “He ought to
know how much I worry by now.”

Kyros took a deep
breath as they stepped outside. “It’s a lovely night. I wish my arrival hadn’t
been marred by this … incident.”

“Was it random?”
Shigure asked.

“We don’t know.
But the man made it clear he wanted to kill me.”

Shigure blanched
at Kyros’s words. “He did? But why? What reason could he have had? That’s
awful.” He hands balled into fists at his sides. “It makes me angry.”

“Angry? I’m
flattered,” Kyros said, trying to keep the mood light. He hadn’t meant to upset
Shigure. Over his many visits, he had noticed that the young man did worry and
brood often.

Shigure looked at
him, his expression sober and serious. “You’re a good man, and you have a
loving family. You did not deserve to be attacked, and if he’d succeeded, your
family would have grieved and experienced lots of pain. It bothers me. I love
your family so much.” Then Shigure colored and turned away, going to sit on a
bench beside a small pond.

Kyros hesitated,
not wanting to add to the embarrassment he saw on Shigure’s face, but then he
went to sit beside him. They sat there in silence a while.

“I’m sorry. I
never had what you have. It makes me place that much more value on it,” Shigure
said.

“Don’t apologize.”
Kyros watched the orange and silver fish swimming in front of them. “You’re
right. It would have been tragic. People who are blessed often take things for
granted.”

“I don’t want
pity, my lord.” Shigure looked to him. “And I didn’t mean to be forward. About
your family. I’m not trying to worm my way into it.”

“You weren’t being
forward at all. Ladon is adopted. The twins and Deanna, too. Honestly, I’m
amazed Mother let Ladon take you away at all. I’m sure she wanted to keep you,
the way she hugged you when you two set off to come here.”

Shigure gave him a
small smile. “I’m too old to be adopted.”

“You’re still
quite young to a vampire.”

The young man
shrugged and looked up at the stars. “For so long, I was terrified of vampires.
What a fool I was.”

“Children should
not be blamed for believing what they’re taught.” Kyros rubbed his forehead,
sighing as he looked to the stars as well.

“Are you still
weak?”

“A little. I’ll be
fine.”

Shigure moved
closer, offering his wrist. “Drink. I’d be honored.”

Kyros truly was
flattered by this offer. Shigure could be very shy at times. He hoped Ladon
wouldn’t mind and tell him off later. Turning Shigure down would insult him and
hurt his feelings, after all.

“I’m the one who
would be honored. Thank you.” Kyros did not intend to take much. He ran one
fang over Shigure’s wrist, and then he froze.

The scent hit him
like a slap to the face, and he watched the thin line of blood grow,
mesmerized.

“Kyros?”

Kyros did not
answer. Instead, he licked the wound to heal it, savoring the taste of his
mate’s blood. He drew Shigure to him and kissed him on the lips. The little
gasp Shigure gave pleased him, as did the fact Shigure did not pull away.
“Mine,” he whispered against Shigure’s trembling lips. When Shigure gasped a second
time, he deepened the kiss. He trailed kisses down Shigure’s neck and sank his
fangs in. Shigure tensed, but then he moaned and pressed against Kyros.

Shigure’s blood
tasted sweeter than any ever had, which was natural because he was Kyros’s
mate, but there was something else there. Kyros tasted another element,
something tart that he had never encountered before. He drew back and got
himself under control, healing the wounds. Then he wiped his lips and looked
down at Shigure.

“You’ve been right
before my eyes for almost a year. Why did I never drink from you before?” Kyros
said.

“But … I like
women,” Shigure said, though his voice held little conviction. “I don’t
understand.”

“But don’t you
feel the pull? We’re mates. I like women, too, but I’ll never look at anyone
else but you with desire ever again.” Kyros pulled Shigure into another kiss.
His hand traveled down, and he found that Shigure’s cock was as hard as his
was. He broke the kiss and stroked Shigure’s hair, staring into his eyes and
loving how surprised he looked at the intimate touch. “And you won’t either.
I’ll make you happy, little one. I swear I will.”

“Wait. We need to
discuss this. I don’t really think I’m ready for—” Shigure left off in the
middle of his sentence as Kyros rose and threw him over his shoulder.

“We need some
privacy,” Kyros said, feelings of possessiveness and pure lust taking over in
that moment and making him impatient. “And I don’t feel like debating and then
dragging you through the halls, if it’s all the same to you.”

“Mhm,” Shigure
said as he latched on to Kyros’s robes.

Kyros had the urge
to slap the young man on the ass, but he assumed he was already embarrassing
him enough to owe him an apology later. Suddenly, Shigure’s shyness was very
cute and arousing, and Kyros couldn’t wait to get him alone and start making
him gasp again.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Loxis lost his fated mate years ago, and he put aside all
ideas of ever falling in love. He devoted his life to fighting demons and
helping their victims to fill the void left in his heart. Everything changed
when he was summoned to fight a demon and help rescue a young man named Hiroki.
Loxis can’t fight his feelings for the damaged young man, but he fears scaring
Hiroki with his desires.

Hiroki has finally emerged from a lifetime of pain and
torture, and he wants nothing more than to share that life with the man who
rescued him. Loxis treats Hiroki as if he is made of glass, though Hiroki knows
he sees longing in Loxis’s eyes in unguarded moments. As they embark on a
mission to Hiroki’s homeland, he vows that he is going to make the vampire
acknowledge what is happening between them, no matter what he has to do.

Hatori’s life changed forever when he discovered that his real father
was a lycan, as his frequent illnesses suddenly made sense. After
achieving his first shift into wolf form, he hoped the last remaining
clan of lycans could offer him some relief after a lifetime of
suffering.

Yet nothing goes as planned when he travels east
to meet with this clan. Since his first full shift, Hatori’s
sensitivity to—and craving for—vampire blood has been a great burden.
Surrounded by very tempting vampires and confused by what the lycans
have to tell him, Hatori doesn’t know what his next move should be. But
when one of the vampires tastes Hatori’s blood, it becomes obvious the
fates wanted Hatori to travel east for a very different reason.

Ryu, a dragon shifter and vampire, has found his mate, a man
he already has strong feelings for, but he knows his confession is going to
take Takumi, a fox shifter, by surprise. In a few days time, Takumi will be
taking holy vows, and Ryu and his brother set out to stop him from doing so.
But when they arrive, they find the temple in an uproar because the leader of
the order has been kidnapped by a demon.

Takumi is distraught because of the abduction of his mentor,
Mikimo, and seeing his good friend Ryu gives him great comfort. Takumi had long
ago given up hope of anything happening between him and the powerful vampire,
so Ryu’s revelation leaves him shocked and confused. As they search for Mikimo,
Takumi consents to become Ryu’s lover, but he remains reluctant to acknowledge
their matehood. As they fight side-by-side, will Takumi open his heart and
accept the love the gods have ordained for him, or will he hold back because
he’s afraid of being hurt?

Friday, March 14, 2014

Caroline never believed in ghosts, until she moved to Ireland and
started working in a two-hundred-year-old inn. When she bumps into the
ghost of a gorgeous biker named Michael in the basement, she starts to
feel the power of her mother’s homeland and a desire like none she’s
ever known before. As Samhain draws near, Caroline’s relationship with
Michael heats up and the powerful bond they feel grows stronger. At the
same time, she struggles to find a way to get Michael to open up to her
so she can find a way to bring him the peace and healing he needs before
Samhain passes and once again draws the mystic veil between them.

Friday, February 7, 2014

As I'm enjoying working on my Valladora series, my mind keeps wandering back to a series I had just completed this time last year. Here's a little blast from the past, Tales of the Highwaymen.

Stand and Deliver

Eloise thought being whisked to another dimension by a handsome man
would be a fantasy come true, but the gorgeous nobleman in question
can’t even make her come. As she tries to figure out how to free herself
of him, she begins to notice a masked man following her wherever she
goes.

In this world of lords and ladies, should she be afraid when this
dashing highwayman rides up and demands that she be delivered into his
arms? Her brain tells her to be wary, but her body tells her that the
ultimate fantasy might be within reach after all…

Your Money or Your Life

When Jacob fell moving a portrait in the museum where he worked, he
was worried about damaging it. He never imagined he would fall into it and wake up in another dimension. Though his day does start to improve when a sexy masked man rides to his rescue…

Gerard thought his friends Adam and Eloise would be the enchanted
portrait’s only victims, but when he finds a gorgeous but bewildered
young man wandering in the woods, he realizes how wrong he was. Now he
has to enlist the help of a man he can’t stand to put a stop to the
magic, even though he’d much rather be spending that time in the arms of
the sexy man now sharing his home.

All Mine

Theodore has already been disappointed in love twice, and he isn’t
looking for any more heartache. So when the handsome Nicholas, who
happens to be suffering under a curse placed by Theodore’s mischievous
godmother, informs Theodore that his love is the only cure, Theodore
refuses to believe it. But Nicholas knows from their very first kiss
that Theodore is the man for him. He isn’t going to give up until he
convinces Theodore their love is what they’ve both spent years longing
for.

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

The second book in The Year of Stars, The Dragon's Lover, is now here!

Ryu, a dragon shifter and vampire, has found his mate, a man
he already has strong feelings for, but he knows his confession is going to
take Takumi, a fox shifter, by surprise. In a few days time, Takumi will be
taking holy vows, and Ryu and his brother set out to stop him from doing so.
But when they arrive, they find the temple in an uproar because the leader of
the order has been kidnapped by a demon.

Takumi is distraught because of the abduction of his mentor,
Mikimo, and seeing his good friend Ryu gives him great comfort. Takumi had long
ago given up hope of anything happening between him and the powerful vampire,
so Ryu’s revelation leaves him shocked and confused. As they search for Mikimo,
Takumi consents to become Ryu’s lover, but he remains reluctant to acknowledge
their matehood. As they fight side-by-side, will Takumi open his heart and
accept the love the gods have ordained for him, or will he hold back because
he’s afraid of being hurt?

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Steven moves to a new town hoping things will change for
him. Being gay in a small community where not even his family could accept him
has given him nothing but years of loneliness. He hopes to start over and
finally find someone to love.

What he finds is Patrick and Aiden, his two very handsome
next-door neighbors. They express their interest right away, which surprises
Steven, but the real shocker is when they reveal that they are both wolf
shifters. Steven doesn’t know what to do. He’s already falling for one man,
while the other one just confuses him. What he needs is time to think, but it
soon becomes obvious Patrick and Aiden aren’t going to give up easily.